Like The Wind
by Stacey1013
Summary: This treehouse holds many different meanings. I had my first kiss here, which ended up being the first of many. My best friends and I would always hang out in here to get away from the adults. Now, those memories are forever going to be held in this tree


**A/N: Okay, I've had this idea in my head for a while now. And, I didn't know if I'd have the time to actually make a story out of it, so I tried to make it a one shot. So hopefully it worked. Please review and tell me your thoughts, I've never done a story like this before and would really like to hear what you have to say about it =) Sorry if it seems on the short side, I was hoping to post it tonight before starting on the killer assignment I have.**

**Disclaimer: If I owned HSM, would I really be sitting here writing a fanfic when I could be having coffee with Zefron?**

**---**

**Like The Wind**

_Love is like the wind, you can't see it, but you can feel it._

_-A Walk to Remember_

The word love has many meanings, depending on the situation.

You may love your new shoes or jacket.

You may love your pet dog.

You may love playing basketball.

You may have loved the movie you just watched, or a certain character.

Or, you could be in love.

You see, love has different meanings but it all means the same thing. In the dictionary love is mentioned as a profoundly tender, passionate affection for another person

For me, I was in love. And although I used past tense, it doesn't mean that the love has gone. It just means the person that I love, is gone.

I'm never going to see her again.

Let me start from the beginning, my name is Troy Bolton and I'm writing to tell you a story. A story of love, passion, and heartbreak. All of which I experienced with the one I loved, in the very short time I knew her.

Her name was Gabriella Montez and we had been friends since Elementary School. She was the new girl who moved next door, who also ended up being in my class. She was the girl who sat next to the boy who ate paste – okay, so that boy is my best friend Chad, but don't tell him I said that.

When I first found out she was my neighbour, I wasn't too happy. My parents had made friends with her parents, so if they weren't at our house for dinner, we we're at theirs.

But moving into Middle School, her and I had grown closer together. Chad didn't seem too happy with a girl joining us when we hung out; he was still going through the 'cootie' stage. We spent most of the time in my tree house, playing superheroes or sometimes even house if Gabriella got her way.

That tree house holds so many memories. Not only does it hold fond memories of Captain Wildcat, but it was also where I had my first kiss...This happened to be with Gabriella. Okay, so It was through a game of truth or dare when we had a few friends from school, including Chad stay over. And at all typical 'sleep' over's, truth or dare must be played, so played we did.

After seeing Chad run to Ms McDonalds' house next door (where we get an excellent view of from the tree house, in case you wondering), ring the doorbell and pull his pants down in front of the unexpected woman, it was my turn. And I was going to go for truth, but decided last second to go for dare. This I didn't see coming…

I was dared to kiss Gabriella.

I remember looking over at her and seeing her eyes wide in shock, but since it was a dare, I had to comply. So, I leant over and pecked her on the lips. I was only 12; I didn't know what I was doing. Sure, it only lasted a few seconds, but it's something I'll never forget.

It was the start of many kisses, to say the least.

Come high school, Gabriella and I had started dating. It was going great, up until the end of junior year where she started to become distant. She would arrive late for class, or not show up at all. When she was at school, she was always tired, and looked extremely pale.

She suddenly changed her style, instead of stressing for the next pop quiz or exam she'd just 'wing' it. We all decided to confront her, and ask what was wrong. She'd reply with the same thing.

"I'm fine"

We knew it was far from the truth.

This carried on through the rest of junior year, and into senior year. This is when she started to lose weight. Sure we didn't really seem to notice at first, but when she became weaker, we began to worry. We being, 'the gang' as we we're otherwise known as. Chad, Gabriella, Zeke, Jason, Taylor, Kelsi, Sharpay, Ryan and Myself we're apart of this gang, and we we're all very close.

That was until Gabriella started...Evaporating.

One lunchtime during senior year, I decided to take matters into my own hands. So, I kidnapped my girlfriend and took her to the rooftop garden to get answers.

_Flashback_

"_Gabs, what's up? You haven't been yourself for..well, since last year. You know you can tell me anything" I told her, trying to get these answers._

"_I'm fine" was her answer._

_I sighed, taking a seat on the bench next to her. "C'mon Brie..we all know theres something up, just tell me..please" I begged._

_It was her turn to sigh._

_She slowly turned to look at me, tears welling up in her eyes. "It's back"_

_I blinked, slowly looking at her. "What? What's back?"_

_A stray tear fell down from her eye. "Do you remember when we we're 7? And I was really sick?" she asked me._

_I nodded slowly, urging her to go on. _

"_It wasn't the flu" she paused. "It was cancer"_

_My eyes grew wide, looking at her in disbelief. "Wh—what?"_

"_I'm sick, Troy. I – I have cancer" she said, finally coming out with the truth._

_I blinked once again, thinking if this was a horrible nightmare or if it was real. I knew it was real when I felt a tear make its way down my face. _

_I looked at her, and she gave me a small smile. "I..didn't want to tell you 'cause everything was going so well..with the basketball championships coming up and prom, I didn't want to let you down" she told me._

_I blinked once again. _

"_Brie, you've never let me down. And never will. What makes you say that?" I asked_

_She sighed. "I..I didn't want to leave you with a broken heart"_

"_Leave me? What do you mean?" I asked my voice breaking._

"_Its..it's in my bone marrow" she whispered, "It's in operable"_

_My heart broke right then and there._

I never knew what love was until Gabriella came along. She thought everyone deserved to be loved, she was one of those people who thought everyone and everything is beautiful. At such a young age, she had her future planned out, but it was cut short.

_We returned from the rooftop, both with tears in our eyes. We didn't want to face anyone, so decided to skip last period and just head back to my place, seeing as my dad was at work and mom was out of town for business._

_Once we arrived at my place, we walked outback, where all the memories were held. I grabbed her hand, and sent her a warm smile, knowing what she was thinking._

_Walking further into the yard, she suddenly let go of my hand. I raised an eyebrow and watched as she slowly started climbing the ladder to the tree house, the same tree house that we shared our first kiss._

_I hesitated at first, but never the less followed her up. I looked at her once I reached the top and she smiled at me, "I just want to feel like a kid again" she told me._

_I smiled, nodding slowly as I watched her walk over to the pirate's wheel. She started spinning the wheel, "Did you ever feel like..you want to go back. Like, when everything was so easy? No exams, no detention, no homework?" she asked, turning to look at me._

_I nodded, "Yeah, sometimes. But..if we go back that far, you and I wouldn't be together" I said, going up to her and wrapping my arms around her waist from behind._

_I felt her lean into me and sigh, nodding slowly. "..No cancer" she whispered. I looked down and saw her eyes flutter closed, that's when a slight gush of wind came._

_She opened her eyes and looked at me, "Tell me you love me" she ordered softly._

"_I love you Gabriella" _

"_Do you know what love reminds me of?" she asked me, causing my eyebrow to rise. I shook my head, no, watching as she walked out of my grasp back to the pirate's wheel. _

_She spun the wheel a few times before looking out at the small view the tree house had, mainly of the neighbour hood. "It reminds me of the wind..." she started, taking a moment to gather her thoughts._

"_..you can't see love, but you can feel love" _

_I smiled slightly, this was the Gabriella I knew and loved. "Well, in that case. I love the wind too" I told her, before spinning her around slightly so she'd face me and pressing my lips against hers in a passionate kiss._

That comment has stuck with me ever since. Every time a fan blows, or there's a breeze I think of Gabriella. The girl who had changed my life for the better, and the one who made me realize what love really meant.

Gabriella managed to finish her senior year at East High, and graduate with all of the Wildcats. She even managed to get into Stanford, but never made it.

"_Congratulations class of 2009!"_

_The sound of applause and whistles rang through the school gym, hats flying everywhere. I looked though the crowd and grinned when I saw the love of my life waiting for me at the exit. I jogged over to her and wrapped my arms around her in a tight hug. _

"_We did it!" she said happily, which made me grin. _

"_That we did, and also..there's something else"_

_I saw her eyebrows raise and soon widen when she saw me get down on one knee. "Brie, we just graduated high school. I know we're young, but..you've made me a different person. I love you so much, and to make this day even better I would be honored if you would become my wife" I asked, taking my class ring off my finger, holding it out to her slightly._

_Gabriella had tears in her eyes by this point. I remember the day she told me about the cancer returning, I felt heartbroken that day. She then told me her wish was to get married in the same church her grandparents did, so I took that wish onto myself and here I was, hoping she'd take the chance to do so._

_I looked up at her and she smiled, nodding slowly._

"_Yes" _

_That was all I needed to hear before sliding the ring onto her finger, before jumping back onto my feet and crashing my lips against hers. We ignored all the wolf whistles coming from our friend, namely Chad. As of then, Brie and I were the only two people in the room._

Our wedding was small. It was held at the same church her grandparents got married in, which happened to be in Albuquerque. Just close friends and family we're invited and it was the happiest day of our lives. Everyone forgot about the cancer, and just celebrated the union of Gabriella and I.

Gabriella wore a simple white gown, which she looked absolutely breath taking in. And I wore the prom tux that was never used, something that pleased Gabriella. Sharpay and Taylor we're her bridesmaids, where as Chad was my best man, and Zeke my groomsman.

The wedding was special, not only to Gabriella and I, but to everyone in the room. We had never seen Gabriella's face bright up so much, since she had been sick. It was truly special.

After the wedding, we had a small reception held at Lava Springs Country Club. We didn't stay too long as Gabriella was getting tired, so we decided to leave early and head to the hotel my parents rented us for the night

As we said our thanks and goodbyes, Gabriella welled up again. Needless to say, she was overwhelmed.

None of us knew, this would be the last goodbye.

_Arriving at the hotel after the reception, I carried Gabriella through the threshold, carrying her over to the bed, pressing my lips against hers gently which she returned. She soon yawned, causing me to smile slightly. She was exhausted, so I helped her out of the wedding gown and tucked her into bed before getting changed myself._

_By the time I reached the bed, Gabriella was fast asleep. I smiled slightly, climbing into bed and allowing her to cuddle up to me. I kissed her forehead tenderly before drifting off into sleep._

_--_

_The next morning I woke up with a smile on my face. I was married. I was only 19, but I was married to the love of my life. I couldn't be any happier. I turned slightly to my side to see Gabriella in the same position as last night. I brushed some of her bangs from her eyes, and couldn't help but notice she was paler than usual, and also cold._

_I stroked her cheek gently, eager for her to wake up. When no response came, I started to worry._

"_Gabs, Brie..Gabriella" I said, repeating her name over and over again for some kind of response. My fingers flew to her neck, trying to locate a pulse._

_Nothing._

"_Brie...Gabs..."_

_By now, tears had started falling down. Not one by one, but freely down. I knew she had gone. There was no way of bringing her back, my Gabriella was gone._

_I kissed her softly, one last time before slowly reaching for the phone._

"_Mom- - "I cried_

"_She's gone" _

Once the news got around that Gabriella had passed away the night after our wedding, everyone was devastated. But, I couldn't help but feel that she died happy. I fulfilled her last wish of getting married in her grandparent's church, and she knew that I was happy.

Although she didn't want to tell me about the cancer at first, I'm glad she did. Although it was heart breaking, she still made me feel happy. Cancer or no cancer.

The funeral had to be the hardest day of my life. It was exactly one week after our wedding.

At first, I didn't want to know that I'd be burying the love of my life. But once I felt a gust of wind, I knew that was Gabriella's sign of saying that I have to go.

Tears fell throughout the service, and red roses were dropped into the ground. I remember kneeling down to the ground to place my rose onto the coffin.

"_There's not a star in heaven that we can't reach" _

I sung quietly to Gabriella, tears welling up as memories of the Winter Musical we did together in junior year flooded back.

I stood back after saying goodbye, falling into my mother's embrace as she stroked me head, just like she did when I was little.

I remember that day like it was yesterday, when in reality it's been a year.

One whole year.

I am now studying at Berkeley, a scholarship in theatre and basketball. Something Gabriella should be really proud of.

I haven't dated since Gabriella. And I'm not sure that I will.

But I know she'd want me to move on.

I am now sitting in the tree house, during my spring break I decided to come home. Chad and Zeke we're studying at U of A, so I decided to come to visit them as well as the parents.

Looking around at all the memories that the tree households, I smile slightly.

Over in the corner where the pirates wheel is, that's where I shared my first kiss. My first kiss, with Gabriella.

And next to me, Robo Rob. He was a gift from Gabriella one year when we we're younger.

Everything in this tree house reminds me of her. Heck, you can still smell her perfume sometimes.

I look down at my finger and smile as I see the wedding band that has stayed there since the day I was married. Smiling slightly, I start tracing the ring out of pure habit. Something I do when I'm thinking about her.

As I let out a sigh, I stand up slowly and make my way to the edge of the tree house, where a small breeze is picking up.

I close my eyes, and take a breath. Knowing that Gabriella will always be with me, as long as the wind keeps blowing.

You see, she once told me that Love was like the wind. You can't see it, but you can feel it.

And that's what I feel every time there is a breeze or gust of wind.

Love.

And as long as I have that feeling, I will always have Gabriella.

Gabriella Montez-Bolton

December 14 1990 – July 15 2009

Most loved, Daughter, Friend and Wife.

"Like The Wind"


End file.
